YOUNG DUCKS ON THE POND 67 



point: "One mile north of the little village of Moses, 

 Colorado," he says, "lives the family of J. C. Gray. On 

 the Gray ranch there is an artesian well which empties 

 into a small pond about 100 feet square. This pond is 

 never entirely frozen over, and the water emptying there- 

 in is warm, even during the coldest winter. 



"Some five years ago Mr. Gray secured a few wild 

 duck eggs and hatched them under a hen. The little 

 ducks were reared and fed on the pond. The following 

 spring they left the place to return in the fall, bringing 

 with them broods of young; also bringing other ducks 

 to the home where protection was afforded them and 

 plenty of food was provided. Each year since the ducks 

 have scattered in the Spring to mate and rear their fami- 

 lies, returning again with greatly increased numbers in 

 the fall and again bringing strangers to the haven of 

 refuge. 



"I drove out to the ranch, November 24, 1902, and 

 found the little pond almost black with birds and was 

 fortunate enough to secure a picture of a part of the 

 pond when the ducks were thickly gathered thereon. 

 Ice had formed around the edges, and this ice was cov- 

 ered with ducks. The water was also alive with others, 

 which paid not the least attention to the party of stran- 

 gers on the shore. From Mr. Gray I learned that there 

 were some 600 ducks of various kinds on the pond at 

 that time, though it was then early for them to seek 

 Winter quarters. Later in the year, he assured me, there 

 would be between 2,000 and 3,000 teal, mallards, canvas 

 backs, redheads and other varieties, all perfectly at home 

 and fearless of danger. The family have habitually ap- 

 proached the pond from the house, which stands on the 



